Baby-pen.



E. A. BOABDMAN. BABY PEN.

APPLIOATION FILED MAB.27,1911.

1,009,378. I Patented Nov. 21, I911. I

ZSHEETS-SHEET 1. 3% -1 E. A. BOARDMAN.

BABY PEN.

APPLICATION FILED 111111.27, 19 1.

1,009,378. Patented Nov. 21, 1911.

ZSHEETS SHEBT 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT .orFIcE.

nnwm A. soammum, or TONO, wasmnc'ron.

BABY-PEN.

Specification of Letters mmfi Patented 21, 1911.

Application filed ma 27, 1911. 8er1a1No. amna.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, EDWIN A. BOABDMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tono, in the county of Thurston, State of Washington, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Baby-Pens;'and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the'same.

This invention relates to baby pens, more particularly pact-1y folded for storing.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a light and strong pen composed of slatted sections hingedl connected -to-- gether end to end, one of t e terminal sections being provided with novel spring controlled hooks which automatically lockingly engage over a vertical rod passing through the ends of the slats of the other terminal section simultaneously with the manual moving into interdigitating position of both end sections.

,A second objectof the invention is to provide a pen composed of sections which may be folded together, or may be disposed in any desired angular to each other with minimum exertion, the sections further being equipped with novel means for positively preventing the upper ends of the vertical rods which hingedly connect the sections from at any time proof the upper,-

jecting above the top faces that injury. to

most'slats of the sections so the penned infant is ositively prevented as is also laceration of the hands and clothesof the attendant.

With the above objects in view the invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be made in the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification :-Figu re 1 is a plan view of a baby pen embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the pen. Fig. 3 a side elevation of the pen in folded mentary perspective View illustrating spring for preventing the u related vertical pivot and above the top face of the of one of the to those designed to be com Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on the line.6-6 Fig. 2.

like characters of reference designate similar parts, 10 desi ates in general a pen formed of a plurality of hingedly connected sect-ions 11 each of which is composed ofa plurality of spaced slats 12, the confronting ends of the slats of meetin sections bein interdigitated, and a vertica 1y disposed rod 13 passed through and pivotally connecting together interdigitating slats of adjacent sections. Fitted the interdigitating ends of adjacent section ranged in pairs as shown in Fig. 4 in order position, relatively to promote the free pivotal movement ofthe The ends of the slats of each terminal section are held in spaced relation toone an other by metallic verticall arranged transverse strips 15.

together by a vertically disposed rod 16 similar to the pivot rods 13 above described, and provided with rivet heads at'its opposite ends which prevent withdrawal of other terminal section are formedwith lonposition. Fig. 4 is a frag, a leaf per pn of the when the bars of both terminal sections are manually interdigitated. For manually moving the free ends of the ment when it is-desired to erect the pen' or use-the following construction is employed:

terminal section slats 12 isa forked plate 18- the branches'19 of which extend lon tudinall along opposite sides of the Set in the sat and pro ect considerably, beyond the extreme-end of the slat, theextremities of the branches being rounded asshown at into ,the slot as clearly shown in Fig. 6. A

catch- 21 is pivoted at its intermediate ortion to the plate and is provided wit a hook-shaped bill 22 the. extreme "wardlyacross the slot in the bar and, forms a bearing surface against which the rod 16 mm" projecting uppermost slat rces outwardly Referring now to the drawing in which The en s of the slate of one terminal section are further connected gitudinal slots 17 which receive the, rod 16" Arranged on the slotted end of one of the bears. during its passage into the slotand the 'catch against the pres -v sure 10f a leaf spring the catch returning pen section's. Fig. is a cross: sectional -V16W taken on the line 5-5 Fig. .2.

slats are washers 14, the washers being-arsections when setting up .or folding the pen.

9O terminal sections intofinterlocking enga e- 20 and forming guide surfaces for directing the rod 16 of thee ating terminal section 1 outer edge I of whichis inclined transversely and in- '25 most top rail in snug engagement with the to its initial position upon the rod reaching final position and locking the rod in its final position as shown in Fig. 6. Two or more of these catches may be employed but it is preferable to use two of the catches in order that unlocking of the terminal sections may be accomplished in a minimum time when it is desired to collapse or fold the. sections for storing.

It will be noted that theends of each pivot rod 13 are equipped with rivet heads, and inorder to prevent the rivet heads on the upper ends of the rods from projectingabove the top slats of the sections when the pen is set up, a leaf spring 25- is securediat A one end in any preferred manner to the placed end to end an under face of each alternate top slat, this leaf spring bearing against the underlying end of the top slat of the next adjacent section as shown in]? i land being rovided with an orifice 26 tfir rodwhich connects the sections, extends. This spring exerts a spreading pressure against the confronting faces of both of said top slats and serves to maintain the upperrivet head of the pivot pin regardless of how much play exists between the interdigitating ends of the sections due to mutual wear upon the parts. In this manner injury to the penned infant or tearing of the hands or clothing of an attendant when setting up or collapsing the pen is positively prevented.

What is claimed, is

1. A pen comprising a series ofsections pivotally connected together, each of said sections com rising a plurallty of approximately paralle slats,

ough which t e pivot 7 the opposing ends of adjacent sections interdigitating, pivot pins passed through sald interdigi tating ends and provided at their opposite ends with heads, and a tension device secured to the nnderfaoe of the against spaced slats the free ends of theslats of each terminal section being held in fixed spaced relation, the slats of one of said terminal sections being longitudinally grooved, a rod disposed transversely across and connecting the slats of the mating terminal section and adapted to enter said slots, a forked guide plate on the free end of one of said slotted slats having its branches projecting beyond the extreme end of the slat.and equipped with rounded extremities, said rounded extremities forming guides surfaces for di- 'recting said rod into said slots, and a spring controlled catch on one of said slotted slats automatically engaging with said rod upon advance of said rod into said slots.

In testimony whereof, I ailix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN A. BOARDMAN. Witnesses:

O. T. WEDMARK, B. H. RHoDEs. 

